Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2026) Featured Review: Lucy, Uncensored by Mel Hammond and Teghan Hammond

Best friends Lucy and Callie dream of leaving their small town and enrolling in a college drama program. But when they encounter bigotry on their campus visit, they decide to set off on a road trip to explore other options. To Lucy’s surprise, she gravitates toward a women’s college far from home. As far as she can tell, the school seems open and accepting, but they’ve never accepted a trans woman before. Will she be the first?

Throughout the book the main characters were age-appropriately chaotic: they forget to submit important assignments, lose their belongings, and disappoint themselves and each other. They’re trying so hard, but they can’t quite keep it all together. This felt authentic to the teen experience. Their dialogue felt authentic as well. Lucy and Callie don’t always know what to say, and neither do their parents or teachers, but they’re ultimately trying to be supportive and honest. This heartfelt messiness was refreshing.

Readers will appreciate the representation of the trans experience. At only about 250 pages, Lucy, Uncensored is packed with (theater) drama, but Lucy’s happiness takes center stage. Lucy encounters transphobic jerks, navigates her relationship with her dad, and experiences exhaustion in her journey as an advocate—but she also experiences joy and self-fulfillment.

A teen reader interested in drama would enjoy this, but it would also appeal to many teen readers who are discovering their paths, navigating the college admissions process, or just want a short, funny, yet heartfelt coming-of-age story. Readers might also enjoy A Whole Song and Dance by Sarvenaz Tash or Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy.

– Carolyn Vidmar

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.
The Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee appreciates teen feedback as members evaluate the nominated titles. Teen librarians are encouraged to share the List of Potential Nominees under consideration with their patrons and solicit feedback using the link: tinyurl.com/bfya2026